5 Best Hockey Defense Drills

Practicing the 5 best hockey defense drills is a great way to improve your game. After you go over them enough, you should have certain skills down pat, and you will be able to use what you have perfected in actual games on the ice. These are also great for coaches to understand, as teaching players these drills will lead to a stronger team defense. Following are the five best hockey defense drills.

Quarter Ice Three vs. Three. In this drill, three offensive players play three defensive players. Two goals are used, set on both sides of the circle, and two goalies guard these goals. It is essentially two vs. one on each side, as only one defender is allowed to prevent goals from the two offensive players, and get the ball to his or her team, which has two players versus one across the circle.

Backwards Overspeed Competition. This is one of the best hockey defense drills. Players must race around the circle backwards, and then turn, and race for the puck, on the other side. This greatly improves defensive footwork.

Mirror Drill: This is a perfect footwork drill for hockey defense. One player or coach faces the goal with the puck, with the defender between him or her and the goal. The person with the puck slides forward, back, left, or right, and the defender must mirror these actions. Speed should increase as the drill goes on.

Circle Keep Away. Hockey players make a circle and pass between themselves. One player is in the center, and he or she tries to intercept or steal the puck. When the defender does this, the player who had his or her pass intercepted or the puck stolen goes to the middle.

Two on Two Keep Away. This drill has two teams of two. Each team tries to get three passes between the two players without losing the puck. When the puck is stolen, the other team goes on offense. This is great for defensive footwork and practice stealing the puck from offenders.

Listed above are the five best hockey defense drills. Each one helps defenders better their defensive footwork and skating, and improves crucial skills that help players to steal from aspiring offenders in actual games.